Sectional fluid heater



July 1K9 1932- H. M. GoDsl-:Y

I SECTIONAL FLUID HEATER Filed May 5, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 19, 1932. H, M- GODSEY 1,868,413

SECTIONAL FLUID HEATER Filed May 5. 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 'l N 31a/vento@ July 19, 1932. H. M. GoDsEY SECTIONAL FLUID HEATER Filed May 5. 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented July 19, 1932 PATENT OFFICE Hi. MITCHELL GODSEY, F SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH SECTIONAL FLUID HEATER VApplication led May 5,

. My invention relates to :fluid heaters, boilers or vaporizers yparticularly of .the Asectional type. Y. l

One object of my invention .is to provide 5 apparatus 4of vthis character which is more eiicient vthan prior apparatus, but which 1s relatively simple and inexpensive to `manufacture and install. n

A further object of .my invention is to 10 provide an improved'heater yor `boiler of the counter-flow type,.in which the products of lcombustion.trayersethe apparatus inthe opposite direction from the directionrof iow of the fluid to be heated.

Another object of my invention is to provide, in a sectional heater kor boiler, integral bailies for directing the flow of heating gases therethrough. I

A still further object of my invention 1s to provide an improved fluid heater or boiler containing baflies which are arranged to be filled with fluid to be heated, whereby the baffles are cooled and the eiiici'ency of-heat transfer in the apparatus is enhanced.

Other objects Vand advantages of my 1nvention will be clear from a Aconsideration of the vspecific embodiments thereof shown on theaccompanying drawings. ,Although liquid heaters are shown and described herein,

Y the invention is applicable to air heaters,

for example, and the term fluid is intended toinclude both liquids and gases.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is alongitudinal sectional view through a Aheater or boiler embodying the invention, a part of the casing of ythe boiler sections being broken away to illustrate the construction more clearly;

VFigs. 2 and 3 are detailed sectional views on the section ylines 2 2 and33 `of Fig.` .1; FigA is a-.transverse sectional View of the heater or boiler on therline 4 4 of Fig. 1;

.,Fig. 5 is a similar view 'illustrating the manner in which the size ofthe heater is increased by utilizingmore sections;

Fig. 6 is a front view of the heater or boiler shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 7 is'a plan view of one of the sections of the improved heater.

Referring particularly toFigs. 1, 5 and 6 .T of the dra-wings, the heateroriboiler shown 1930. Serial No. 449,997.

comprises a number of units or sections, the end-sections being designated by the reference numerals 1 and 2, and the intermediate sections by the reference numerals 3 and 4i. As shown in Fig. 4:, a small heater may comprise only one intermediate section 3. The several vsections of the boiler may be constructed of cast iron and the engaging surfaces may be filed, sand-blasted or machined to form fluid-tight joints Where such joints are required.

The sections of the heater are held together by trussrods or bolts 7 extending through integral lugs 8 upon the end sections 1 and 2 of the heater. The sections are mounted upon a base member 10 which serves to support heating means, such as gas burners 11, which are of any usual or known construction 4and are shown as connected to a gas manifold 12and regulated by the usual valves 13. The outlet opening of the heater is connected to the usual stack or flue 15 through which the hot gases-escape from the heater. Obviously, any desired heating apparatus may be used in connection with the heater, the gas burners i" being merely onepractical form of such apparatus.

The sections of the heater, as shown in Fig. l, comprise headers 16 and 17 at the ends thereof, the fluid to be heated being admitted through a pipe connection or threaded boss 18 to the yheader 16. The outlet for heated fluid or vapor is indicated at 19, an outlet being shown vin each section 3 but all but one of the outlets maybe closed by suitable plugs, if desired. Each outlet opening 19 communicates with the portion 2O of the heater constituting an enlargement or dome which in the case of a steamboiler may be termed the steam drum. Openings 21 are disposed adjacent to the drum 20 in the side walls of the sections to provide communication between the several sections of the heater.

The sections 3 and 4 of the boiler are further provided, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with 'iuid tubes 25 extending between the headers 16 and 17. The arrangement of the tubes 25 in the sections at are substantially the same as in the sections 3, as shown in Fig. 1, except thatlthe tubes are in staggered relation with those in the adjacent sections', as shown in Fig. 5.

Likewise the end sections 1 and 2 of the heater are provided with hollow portions 26 to contain the fiuids to be heated. The inner surface of the sections 1 and 2 are corrugated as indicated at 27 to provide, as in the case of' the adjacent sections 3 and 4, a tortuous passage for the hot products of combustionfrom the burners 10 between the fluid tubes, as indicated by the arro-ws 28 in Fig. 5. Obviously the precise dimensions and configuration of the surfaces of the heater sections and of the tubes 25 may be modified without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Theobject of the construction shownis to provvide the desiredcontact of the hot products ofcombustion lwith the walls of the fluid-containing elements of the heater through which heat transfer is effected. j v

The sections of 'the heater are further prov vided as shown inFig. 1 with hollow bottom the stack 15. These passages Vare serially' tubes 30 extendingfrom the header 16 to the base member 10. VThe tubes 30 are of thel nsaine width as the sections so that they contact with each other when the heater is ,assembled, and close the combustionspace at the bottom of the heater. i A plurality ofintegral baffles are also provided in each section of the heater, two such baffles 31 and 32 being shown l by wayof example. These baiiies are hollow,

`as indicated in Fig. 1, and are filled with the fluidto be heated, whereby the bafflesy are kcooled'and heat transfer is effected'through the walls thereof.v Thef baflie .31'extends from the drum 20 or upper portion of the'heater to the bottom of the lower tube 25, leaving a space between the lower end of thebaile and the tube 30. Likewise' the tube 32 extends from the drum 20 downwardly to the tube 30 rand communicates with the latter.

The width of the tube 31 is thesame las the vwidth of each section, as shown in Fig. 2v, 45.*whereby theabutting edges of the baffles are ypassage of the hot productsv of combustion is prevented except below the lower end of the in contact when the heater is yassembled and bafiie. rAs shown in Fig. 3, the lower end of the baffle 32 is .of the same width'as the width of thesections, but vthe upper end of thelbaflle between the uppery tube 25 and the drum 2O vis provided with. a constricted portion 33.k

vThus a passage for hotA products of combustion is provided between the upper tube 25 and the drum 20 adjacent the constricted portions 33 of the baffle. J

Upon reference to Fig. 1, it will be apparent that the described construction provides three passagesB-i, 35 and 36 through which the hot products of combustion traverse the sections of theheater from the burners 11 to related and require the hotproducts ofv com- .bustion to pass throughV the heater rsubstantially counter-current to the flow of fluid therethrough. In other words, the cold fluid entering the heater contacts with the partially cooled products of combustion and the flow of fluid and hot gases through the heater are in opposite directions, which results in a considerable increase in efficiency and is an iinportant feature of my invention.l As indicated in Fig. A1, the cross-sectional area of the passage for the hot products of combus tion in general decreases from the burners 11 to the stack so that as the hot gases are cooled and decrease in volume, the rate of flow of the gases remains substantially constant. This is a desirable, though not an essential, feature of the invention. .e

The Vusual auxiliary apparatus ymay lbe used in-connection with the heater, andas shown in Figs. 1 and 6, if theheater is designed for use as a steam boiler, a water gauge 38 and pressure kgauge 39 are mounted upon one of the sections 3. YVObviously, however, the apparatus is not limited vto use for'vaporizing water but maybe used for heating other liquids, ,andV the general principles may be embodiedin air or 'gas heaters. Variousmodifications in the specic embodiment of the in` vention shown and described may be made side to form a complete heater, each ofsaid sections embodying an yintegral steam drum of substantiallythe same'width as the section and two vertical integral abutting baiilesarranged to direct the flow of the products of combustion upward,` downward and upward again across the sections of the heater.

2. A fluid heater comprising one-piece fluid-circulating sections arranged side by side to form a complete'heater, an intermev diate section embodying horizontal fluid tubes and a plurality of vertical baffles intermediate the ends of said tubes arranged to direct the flow of the products of combustion several times across said horizontaluid tubes,

theappended claims.

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said intermediate section further embodying anintegral dome at the top thereof of substantially the same width as the said section.

3. A fluid heater comprising cast-metal fluid-circulating vsections arranged side by side torform aecomplete heater, an intermediate section thereof embodying in a unitary construction horizontal-'uuid tubes and a dome above said tubes and integral therewith and of the same width Vas fthe section, said intermediate section being further provided with vertical baiiies arranged to direct the flow of the products of combustion back 'and forth across the entire section and substantially counter-current to the flow of fluid in the `heater, said` baiiies. extendingv substantially from the lowermost of said horizontal fluid tubes to said dome. y 'i 4. A fluid heater comprising fluid-circu lating sections embodying horizontal fluid tubes and heating means adjacent one end of said tubes, said sections being provided with an integral steam drum at the top thereof and two hollow vertical baffles to direct the flow of the products of combustion substantially counter-current to the flow of fluid in the tubes, said hollow baffles extending to the steam drum and the interior thereof being in communication with said horizontal fluid tubes and the steam drum.

5. A fluid heater comprising fluid-circu lating sections embodying horizontal fluid tubes and heating means adjacent one end of said tubes, said sections being provided with an integral steam drum at the top there of and two integral vertical baffles intermediate the ends thereof, one adjacent said heating means and extending to the bottom of the heater section and the other spaced from the first baffle and extending to the top of the heater section, one of said baffles being hollow and in direct communication with at least one of said horizontal fluid tubes and the steam drum.

G. A fluid heater comprising fluidcirculating sections embodying horizontal fluid tubes, said sections being provided with an integral steam drum at the top thereof and two hollow integral vertical baffles intermediate the ends thereof, one extending to the bottom of the heater section and being in communication with at least one of said horizontal fluid tubes, the other baffle being spaced from the first-mentioned baille and eX- tending to the top of the heater section, said other baille being in communication with at least onev of said horizontal fluid tubes and with said integral steam drum.

7. A fluid heater comprising one-piece cast metal fluid-circulating sections arranged side by side to form a complete heater, each of said sections embodying horizontally disposed fluid tubes and an upper portion constituting a dome of the same width as the section to close the top of the heater, said dome being formed integral with said horizontal tubes and communicating therewith, and two vertically disposed baffles arranged to direct the heating medium upwardly, downwardly and upwardly again throughout the sections.

8. A fluid heater comprising one-piece fluid-circulating sections arranged side by side to form a complete heater, each of said sections embodying horizontally disposed fluid tubes and an integral dome or steam drum in communication with said tubes, the width of said dome or drum being equal to the width of the section whereby when the sections of the heater are assembled the dome or drum abuts against the adjacent sections to close the top of the heater.

9. A hollow cast-metal section for a heater comprising ay hollow fluid-containing portion, an integral steam drum of substantially the sanne width as the section and hollow fluid-containing baffles of substantially the same width as the drum and extending to said drum, said baffles being arranged substantially vertical and spaced apart from each other and from the ends of the section.

l0. A cast-metal heater section comprising horizontally disposed fluid-circulating tubes spaced apart to provide passages for the heating medium, an integral steam drum at the top of the section and vertically disposed bafiles arranged to direct the heating medium upwardly, downwardly and upwardly again over the tubes, said baffles extending substantially from the lowermost of said horizontal fluid tubes to said steam drum, and said steam drum being of substantially the same width as said section.

l1. A cast-metal heater section comprising a fluid-containing portion, an integral enlargement at the top of the section in communication with said fluid-containing portion and constituting a steam drum of the same width as the section, and a plurality of vertical baliles intermediate the ends of the section, said baffles being arranged to define a gas-passage of decreasing cross-section for the hot gases flowing through the heater to maintain the velocity thereof substantially if uniform.

H. MITCHELL GODSEY.

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